Graphic novels are a powerful and often underused learning tool.听As a history teacher at a small independent school, I recognize that every student learns in different ways.听听Many students are visual learners for whom a picture is worth a thousand words, making the use of graphic novels in the classroom highly effective.听听There are several wonderful historical graphic novels that can effectively engage students in historical studies.
Graphic Novels for High School
They Called Us Enemy听is a graphic memoir听in which the Japanese-American actor听George Takei (best known for his role of Sulu on the original Star Trek) recalls his turbulent childhood at an American detention camp during World War II. The book is especially relevant today as we grapple with difficult questions about immigration and the rights of minorities in our current political climate.
The听March Trilogy听is a graphic novel by U.S. Congressman John Lewis (with help from Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell) about his experiences as an activist in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Through the eyes of Lewis, we experience notable events such as the Freedom Rides and March on Washington that shaped modern America.
笔别谤蝉别辫辞濒颈蝉听is a black-and-white graphic novel in which author听Marjane听Satrapi recalls the story of her childhood in Iran in the 1970s and 1980s.听听During this turbulent time, the author witnessed the overthrow of the Shah and beginnings of the Islamic Revolution, and experienced firsthand the devastating results of Iran鈥檚 long war with Iraq.听
Maus听is a听graphic novel听by American illustrator听Art Spiegelman听that recounts his father鈥檚 experiences as a听Polish Jew and Holocaust听survivor. Rather than portraying the characters in a realistic manner, Spiegelman chose to depict Germans as cats, Jews as mice, and Poles as pigs in the novel. The book has proved to be an extremely effective way of introducing students to the Holocaust as a subject of study.听听
I recommend all these graphic novels for high schoolers as an innovative and entertaining way of making history come alive and exciting debate about controversial subjects of importance.
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